Apostolic

How to spell apostolic

9 letters · 4 syllables

How to pronounce apostolic

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does apostolic mean?

1. adjectiveRelating to the Apostles of the early Church, or to the authority and succession of the Pope.

Apostolic in a sentence

• The cathedral guide explained the apostolic origins of the diocese.

• Her thesis examined the apostolic succession claimed by the bishops.

Where does apostolic come from?

Language of origin: Greek

This adjective traces back to the Greek apostolos, which literally meant 'one who is sent forth' or 'a messenger', built from apo meaning 'from' or 'away' and stellein meaning 'to send'. From apostolos the Greeks formed apostolikos, describing anything belonging to such a messenger, and Latin took this up as apostolicus. The word travelled into English by way of Church Latin and Old French during the medieval period, when it came to describe matters relating to the twelve Apostles of Christianity or to the Pope as their successor. The same Greek root sits inside 'apostle' itself, and recognising the buried verb stellein (to send) helps explain the single -s- and the -stol- in the middle that catch many writers out. Note that the ordinary spelling keeps one p and one s, despite the temptation to double either.

How the word is built

• apo- (from, away)
• stol (from stellein: to send)
• -ic (adjective suffix)